Locals, lawmakers struggle to compromise on Indiana property tax relief
Gov. Mike Braun’s proposal would cap annual increases on property taxes for all property types at 3%.
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Bill to add judges in a few counties advances, but plan to cut elsewhere still unclear
The bill would add judicial officers in Elkhart, Hamilton and Vigo counties. A plan is being developed to cut judge positions in shrinking counties.
Bill would criminalize DNA sampling denial during booking on felony charges
The measure was both applauded as a “fix” to an eight-year-old oversight and criticized as infringing on “genetic privacy.”
Legislative leaders talk post-moratorium gambling expansions, more bills reach halfway point
Just six months after a former Indiana lawmaker was sentenced to a year in federal prison for gambling-related corruption, industry expansion proposals are moving through the Legislature.
Indiana casino relocation nixed without a vote
After two hours of testimony from roughly three dozen people, a committee chair opted not to advance a proposal to move a casino license from a southeastern Indiana community to a city 160 miles north—an idea that pitted neighbor against neighbor in the casino’s potential new home.
Greg Weaver: Indiana lawmakers need to close a corruption loophole
State Rep. Hal Slager is rightfully trying to close a loophole that stems from a complicated U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a federal public corruption case involving former Portage Mayor James Snyder.
Trump’s swift moves rattle some immigration lawyers
The Indiana General Assembly also is considering several measures that would support the new president’s efforts to shut down illegal immigration.
Senate bill would criminalize the use of devices to jam security alarms, police radios
An Evansville burglary that disabled home security systems led a state lawmaker to draft legislation that would criminalize the manufacturing, selling, and use of jamming devices.
Emerging plan would shift judges to growing counties
Some state lawmakers are going in with a reallocation approach that would add new judges to growing communities and take away from those counties that may have more judges than they need.
Indiana bill would ban state contracts with foreign adversaries, give AG’s office more oversight
House Bill 1032, authored by Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, would double down on restrictions already in effect for investors located in China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela — all countries currently labeled as foreign adversaries in state and federal code.
Elections bill would strike down student IDs as voting option
Some worry the measure will discourage college students from voting and add additional duties to local county voter registration offices.
Indy leaders support bill that could lead to roads-focused tax increase
The measure includes a provision to allow Marion County residents to vote, through a referendum, for property-tax hikes that would be used to pay for road improvements.
Vaccine bills stack up in statehouses across the US
Vaccination bills are popping up in more than 15 states as lawmakers aim to potentially resurrect or create new religious exemptions from immunization mandates, establish state-level vaccine injury databases or dictate what providers must tell patients about the shots.
Indiana House proposal on immigration raises profiling fears
The measure would require local law enforcement to give federal authorities notice when they arrest people who are reasonably believed to be in the country illegally.
Social media ban for Hoosiers under 16 gets Indiana Senate greenlight
A bill prohibiting some Hoosier minors from using social media without their parents’ permission received bipartisan support in the Indiana Senate on Thursday and moved to the House for further consideration.
Anti-DEI bills take heat but pass committee
For four hours on Wednesday, and with tempers flaring throughout, Indiana lawmakers and plenty of constituents debated whether diversity, equity and inclusion efforts combat or constitute discrimination.
Libraries fire back on bill to remove taxing authority
A proposal from Republican Sen. Gary Byrne of Byrnesville would remove taxing authority from library boards and give it to the county.
Indiana Legal Services raises concerns about ‘squatter’ legislation
Some advocates warn Senate Bill 157—which would require police to remove “squatters” within 48 hours—would allow landlords to skip the court, chipping away at tenants’ rights.
Indiana House Republicans’ agenda includes effort to absorb disgruntled Illinois counties
House Republicans also introduced a slew of bills addressing trademark issues such as education, housing and health care.
Large law firms say lobbying is a key element to providing full array of services
Bose Public Affairs and Taft Stettinius & Hollister have the largest lobbying presence of any law firms or independent multi-client lobbying practices this year at the Indiana General Assembly, which kicked off its 2025 legislative session last week. See our list of the top 10.